In the spring, the EPA announced new regulations to protect the public and wildlife against toxic rodenticides. Citing ten specific chemicals, including the highly lethal pesticide, brodifacoum, the EPA enacted the safety measures over concerns for the thousands of children accidentally exposed every year. In addition to pediatric toxicity, rodenticides also pose a threat to wildlife through primary exposure or secondary, when a mammal or bird consumes a rodent poisoned with the pesticide.

According to the EPA’s website, “several reported incidents have involved federally listed threatened and endangered species, for example the San Joaquin kit fox and Northern spotted owl, in addition to the Bald eagle, which is protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Act.”

The new measures include the ban of loose pellets as bait form, sale and distribution restrictions, minimum package size requirements, and use site restrictions.

Although most pesticide makers have begun implementation of the new regulations within their product lines, a handful have resisted:

Consequently, the EPA has announced their intention to initiate cancellation proceedings under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA against non-compliant products marketed by the following companies) to remove them from the market.

The American Bird Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife, and Natural Resources Defense Council are just three of the groups calling for immediate removal of the non-compliant products.